Dilbit
Dilbit (diluted bitumen) is a
Reasons for dilution
Bitumen and
Methods of dilution
The most common diluent used to dilute bitumen is
Refinement process
Diluent can be removed from dilbit by
Risks and failures
Enbridge pipeline dilbit spill
The Kalamazoo River oil spill was a major spill from a ruptured Enbridge dilbit pipeline in 2010.[14] Cleanup took five years. The EPA ordered Enbridge to dredge the heavy bitumen out of hundreds of acres of Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River.
Separation and oil spill risks
Unlike conventional
In 2013, opening on the Keystone XL pipeline proposal, the EPA recommended to the State Department that pipelines that carry dilbit (such as the proposed Keystone XL) should no longer be treated just like pipelines that carry any other oil. "We have learned from the 2010 Enbridge spill of oil sands crude in Michigan that spills of diluted bitumen (dilbit) may require different response actions or equipment from response actions for conventional oil spills. These spills can also have different impacts than spills of conventional oil. ... We recommend that the Final EIS more clearly acknowledge that in the event of a spill to water, it is possible that large portions of dilbit will sink and that submerged oil significantly changes spill response and impacts. We also recommend that the Final EIS include means to address the additional risks of releases that may be greater for spills of dilbit than other crudes. For example, in the Enbridge spill, the local health department issued voluntary evacuation notices based on the level of benzene measured in the air."[22]
Oil spills in aquatic ecosystems
Pipelines are a major source of dilbit transportation and of revenue in Canada and the United States.[23] The effects of dilbit spills on freshwater ecosystems is an active area of research, and much remains unknown.
In coastal marine ecosystems, such as those found in British Columbia, Canada, dilbit floats on the surface because it is too light to sink, unless it is significantly weathered.[24] Weathering breaks down the lighter components. Dilbit is harmful to a wide range of marine animals, including sea otters, baleen whales, fish embryos, and juvenile salmon.[24]
The effects of dilbit on freshwater ecosystems have come into focus in the late 2010s, particularly by researchers at the Experimental Lakes Area and Queen’s University, both in Ontario, Canada. Environmental factors such as temperature and light change dilbit’s physical properties, so whole-lake ecosystem experiments are crucial in understanding the potential effects of dilbit leaks and spills.[25] Oil spills were simulated in limnocorrals, which are effectively giant test tubes in a lake.[25] The results of these studies show greater than 70% reduction in most phytoplankton and zooplankton in response to oil spills, although nano- and microphytoplankton populations recovered as the oil sank to the bottom of the lake.[26] Total insect emergence also decreased with increasing dilbit concentration, and the oil likely drove water strider immobility and death.[27]
Alternatives to diluent
- Heated pipelines
- Constructing upgraders closer to production
See also
- Canadian Centre for Energy Information
- History of the petroleum industry in Canada (oil sands and heavy oil)
- Syncrude
- Suncor
- CNRL
- Kalamazoo River oil spill
References
- ^ Alberta Oil Sands Bitumen Valuation Methodology, vol. 2008–9995, Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Dec 2008, archived from the original (pdf) on 2014-06-07, retrieved 2011-06-18
- ISBN 0-662-36880-0. Retrieved 14 Mar 2012. Condensate: "A mixture comprised mainly of pentanes and heavier hydrocarbons recovered as a liquid from field separators, scrubbers or other gathering facilities or at the inlet of a natural gas processing plant before the gas is processed." Dilbit: "Bitumen that has been reduced in viscosity through addition of a diluent (or solvent) such as condensate or naphtha." Diluent: "Any lighter hydrocarbon, usually pentanes plus, added to heavy crude oil or bitumen in order to facilitate its transport on crude oil pipelines." Synbit: "A blend of bitumen and synthetic crude oil that has similar properties to medium sour crude." "Synthetic crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons generally similar to light sweet crude oil, derived by upgrading crude bitumen or heavy crude oil."
- ^ a b Walker, Ian C. (1998), Marketing Challenges for Canadian Bitumen (PDF), Tulsa, OK: International Centre for Heavy Hydrocarbons, p. 2, archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-13
- ^ Harrison, Lynda (September 2011). "Riding the Rails, Oil companies climb aboard potential alternative to pipelines". Oil & Gas Inquirer. Calgary, Alberta: JuneWarren-Nickle's Energy Group. Archived from the original on 2012-09-11. Retrieved 14 Mar 2012.
- ^ "Altex model". Altex Energy Ltd. Archived from the original on April 20, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
On December 2, 2009, Purvin and Gertz reported that Alberta produces about 80,000 bbls/d of natural gasoline (primarily pentane and hexane) and another 65,000 bbls/d of Naphtha from its indigenous natural gas. These hydrocarbons have been added to bitumen (typically a 10–12 API product) to produce a pipelinable product called dilbit (19–21 API). In recent years the indigenous supply of natural gasoline not been sufficient to meet the demand. To meet bitumen producer's requirements, about 40,000 bbls/d of natural gasoline has been imported into Alberta, primarily using rail road tank cars. The National Energy Board ("NEB") tracks these volumes and in a recent publication shows that it expects the demand for natural gasoline to grow by about 27,000 bpd each year for the next ten years.
- ^ Ross, Elsie (13 Sep 2012). "New Diluent Sources Needed For Forecast Growth In Bitumen". The Daily Oil Bulletin. Junewarren-Nickle’s Energy Group.
Oilsands operators have been importing diluent since about 2004 as the required volumes of pentanes plus and condensate have significantly outpaced domestic production capacity, says the CERI study. In 2010, an estimated 260,000 bbls per day of diluent was required while total Canadian domestic production was about 160,000 bbls per day, indicating that close to 40 per cent (100,000 bbls per day) of the required diluent needed to be imported, says the study.
- ^ Rahimi, Parviz; Alem, Teclemariam (10 Feb 2010). Crude Oil Compatibility and Diluent Evaluation for Pipelining (PDF). Joint CCQTA/COQA meeting (New Orleans). Devon, Alberta: National Centre for Upgrading Technology. Retrieved 18 Jun 2011.
- ^ ISBN 0-662-36880-0. Retrieved 14 Mar 2012.
- ^ Crude Oil Forecast, Markets and Pipeline Expansions (PDF), Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, June 2007, p. 5, archived from the original (PDF) on 16 April 2015, retrieved 16 June 2012,
The DilBit blend is typically made up of three parts bitumen and one part condensate. SynBit blend is comprised of roughly fifty percent synthetic and fifty percent bitumen.
- ^ Segato, Randy, Quality Guidelines for Western Canadian Condensate (PDF), Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, p. 6, retrieved 16 June 2012,
Bitumen and Heavy Crude Oil must be diluted to meet pipeline viscosity and density specifications. Two blend type conventions
•upgraded light synthetic blends (SYNBIT, ~50/50 ratio) or
•heavy and bitumen diluted with condensate (DILBIT, ~25/75 ratio) - ^ Crandall, G. R. (17 Dec 2004), Phase II―Refined Products and Petrochemicals from Bitumen (PDF), R. A. McKetta, G. A. Houlton, J. D. Wright, O. Malbec, Purvin & Gertz, Inc., p. 52, retrieved 16 June 2012,
We assumed that the bitumen delivered to the Alberta upgrader would be diluted with C5+ condensate with a blend ratio of 26% C5+ and 74% bitumen needed to achieve the pipeline viscosity specification of 350 cst and 940 kg/m3 density.
Athabasca bitumen has a density of 8.4 API and 4.8 weight % sulfur. SCO has a density of 35 API and 0.1 weight % sulfur. - ^ Jeff Lewis (November 8, 2011). "SNC-Lavalin to build $650 million froth treatment plant: Client not disclosed, but reported to be CNRL". Alberta Oil. Archived from the original on March 27, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
- InsideClimate News.
- InsideClimate News.
- InsideClimate News, interviewed by Bruce Gellerman. Retrieved 2013-01-01.
- ^ Elizabeth Shogren (August 16, 2012). "When This Oil Spills, It's 'A Whole New Monster'". NPR All Things Considered. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
Tar sands oil has to be diluted to make it liquid enough to flow through a pipeline. But once it's back out in the environment, the chemicals that liquefied it evaporate. That leaves the heavy stuff behind.
- ^ Smith, Lindsey (July 25, 2013). "3 years and nearly $1 billion later, cleanup of Kalamazoo River oil spill continues". Michigan Radio: The Environment Report. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
- ^ A Review of the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011: Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of Representatives, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session. United States Government Publishing Office. May 20, 2014.
- ^ Been, Jenny (Sep 2011), Comparison of the Corrosivity of Dilbit and Conventional Crude (PDF), Alberta: Alberta Innovates Energy and Environmental Solutions, p. 25, archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-09-25, retrieved 8 Mar 2014,
the Alberta systems (with a large percentage of dilbit lines) experienced comparable internal corrosion failure rates than the U.S. systems (predominantly conventional crude lines).
- ^ Dettman, Heather D. (23 Oct 2012), "Diluted Bitumen Chemical & Physical Properties" (PDF), NAS Committee for a Study of Pipeline Transportation of Diluted Bitumen - Second Meeting, Toronto, Canada: Natural Resources Canada, retrieved 8 Mar 2014 Dilbit has low corrosivity under pipeline conditions.
- ^ A Safer World Through Corrosion Knowledge: How Corrosive is Heavy Crude? (PDF), NACE Northern Area Eastern Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Transportation Research Board, National Academy of Sciences, Oct 2012, Slide 43 ("Overall Summary from the Conference"), retrieved 8 Mar 2014,
Under pipeline operating conditions[, d]ilbit is no different than other crude oils
- ^ "EPA Comment Letter - US Environmental Protection Agency" (PDF). April 22, 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
- ^ "Exploring What Oil Spills Do to Fresh Water | IISD-ELA". IISD Experimental Lakes Area. 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
- ^ PMID 31744609.
- ^ a b "Deliberating on dilbit". Research Queen's University Canada. 2019-09-24. Retrieved 2020-07-15.
- S2CID 214145005.
- ^ Black, Tyler (December 2019). "The effects of a simulated spill of diluted bitumen on invertebrates in a boreal lake environment". MSC Thesis.